Method for requesting transportation services

ABSTRACT

A method for safely and efficiently requesting transportation services through the use of mobile communications devices capable of geographic location is described. Individual and package transportation may be provided. New customers may be efficiently serviced, and the requester and transportation provider locations may be viewed in real time on the mobile devices.

RELATED CASES

This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/348,850, which was filed on Jan. 5, 2009, whichissued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,131,307, on Mar. 6, 2012, and which claims thebenefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/009,839 for“Real-Time Automated Request, Tracking And Dispatch Of TransportationServices Using Mobile Communication And Geographical Location Devices”by Olaf Martin Lubeck, filed on 3 Jan. 2008, and of Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/027,508 for “Real-Time Automated System ForMonitoring, Analysis And Dissemination Of Location And Route InformationOf Transportation Vehicles Using Mobile Devices” by Olaf Martin Lubeck,filed on 11 Feb. 2008, the entire disclosures of which are herebyspecifically incorporated by reference herein for all that they discloseand teach.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to on-demand transportation ofindividuals and goods and, more particularly, to a method for requestingtransportation using mobile or fixed communication devices capable ofgeographical location.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The efficiency of on-demand transportation services is often limited bythe time required to acquire a new customer. For example, taxicabs, onaverage, are “down” 50% of the time with no passenger to transport.During this down time, taxicab drivers are typically searching for theirnext passenger by simply looking for a “hailing” signal. In addition tobeing inefficient, both the driver and passenger are anonymous when ataxicab is “hailed” on the street, and drivers are robbed or killed byunknown passengers. The U.S. State Department has issued warnings totravelers in some foreign countries not to hail taxis in the street;rather, it is recommended that a cab be called from a hotel.

The use of a cell phone by a passenger to request a taxi and by a driverto confirm a pickup allows both to be identified by their cell phonenumbers, thereby improving security for both passenger and driver. Theuse of cell phones that can be identified also permits improved serviceand management features; for example, a passenger leaving an item in ataxicab can later identify the taxi and recover the item.

The delivery of service information to a mobile device where a person isnotified of a personalized service based on previously stored subscriberprofile information has been described, an example being hotel selectionbased on subscriber room requirements. However, the user must already beregistered as a subscriber, and must enter subscriber preferences forstorage prior to the provision of service information, thereby limitingthe usefulness and availability of this service. Location-dependentmatching of mobile communication devices where mobile devices areautomatically matched by a central server based on user profiles hasalso been described. Applications of this procedure include a centralserver matching a passenger requesting taxi service to a nearbyavailable taxi and dispatching a taxi thereto. However, centraldispatching of taxi service may not include independently operating taxidrivers. Steps of confirming, canceling, or completing such transactionsare not described.

The availability of transportation services that are provided by unitsoperating with a predetermined schedule and route, such as city buses,are limited by the lack of real-time information concerning their actuallocation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide amethod for requesting transportation services having improved efficiencyand security.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for requestingtransportation services from multiple transportation service companies.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method forcommunicating real-time location information of a transportation serviceprovider to a potential passenger's mobile phone.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbe set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of thefollowing or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectsand advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means ofthe instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with thepurposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly describedherein, the method for requesting transportation services, hereof,includes: providing a wireless communications network for routingmessages; providing a computer for processing information in cooperationwith the wireless communications network; sending a request fortransportation services to the computer through the communicationsnetwork using a first communications device having geographic location;sending the geographic location of the first communications device tothe computer through the wireless communications network; storing therequest and the determined location on the computer; transmitting thestored request and location of the first communications device to atleast one transportation provider having a wireless communicationsdevice through the wireless communications network; generating aconfirmation signal on the wireless communications network from the atleast one transportation provider; selecting one transportation providerfrom the at least one transportation provider; and generating a secondconfirmation signal from the computer to the transportation requesterusing the wireless communications network notifying the transportationrequester that transportation service has been arranged.

In another aspect of the present invention, and in accordance with itsobjects and purposes, the method for obtaining time-of-arrivalinformation for at least one transportation vehicle following apredetermined route at a chosen location on the route, hereof, includes:providing a wireless communications network for routing messages;providing a computer for processing information in cooperation with thewireless communications network; sending the geographic location of thechosen location on the route using a first communications device;sending the geographic location for each vehicle of the at least onetransportation vehicle at selected time intervals using a wirelessmobile communications device located thereon to the computer through thewireless communications network; analyzing the geographic locationinformation at the selected time intervals using the computer; comparingthe analyzed location information with the scheduled location of the atleast one vehicle along the predetermined route; and calculating thetime-of-arrival of the at least one vehicle at the chosen location.

Benefits and advantages of the present invention include, but are notlimited to, providing a method for safely and efficiently requestingtransportation services, whereby new customers may be serviced,requester and transportation provider locations may be viewed in realtime on the mobile devices, requesters may be presented with aconsolidated view of transportation providers since the transportationproviders may be associated with multiple companies, the process may beautomated, there is no requirement that the requester subscribes to orotherwise be known to the system in advance of the request, and there isno requirement that the requester provides preference or profileinformation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part ofthe specification, illustrate an embodiment of the present inventionand, together with the description, serve to explain the principles ofthe invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of apparatuseffective for performing the method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a typical request fortransportation services using the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 hereofin the absence of a dispatcher.

FIG. 3 illustrates an application of the present invention to requestingtransportation services from a taxicab.

FIG. 4 illustrates an application of the present invention to a travelerinterested in using a city bus system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, the present invention includes a method for safely andefficiently requesting transportation services through the use of mobilecommunications devices capable of geographic location. Individual orpackage transportation may be provided. New customers may be efficientlyserviced, and the requester and transportation provider locations may beviewed in real time on the mobile devices.

Embodiments of the present method, and an embodiment of the apparatusfor implementing the method, hereof, permits a request of transportationservices initiated from a smart mobile device (MD) having geographicallocation determination capability and wireless communication, to be madeusing a computer and a communication network into which the MD may beconnected. It should be mentioned that the request for transportationmight be made from another type of communications device, such as awired telephone or land line, or a laptop or desktop computer, asexamples. In the case of the use of a wired telephone, geographicinformation might be provided from a description of the location by therequester or from a Global Positioning System (GPS) operated by therequester, to an operator who would enter this information into thesystem. The processing of such requests, and/or other MDs, by thecomputer system may be automated, as may be the subsequent disseminationof the request by a transportation service provider. That is, fromrequest to completion of service, the present apparatus may bereal-time, on-demand, and computer automated, with no required humanaction other than to perform the initiation, confirmation and service ofthe request. There is no requirement that the requester subscribes to orotherwise be known to the system in advance of the request. Further,there is no requirement that the requester provides preference orprofile information. Requests for transportation services specify theinitial pickup location, and may be unpremeditated, or spur of themoment. The requester simply makes a request to be transported (orrequests an item to be transported) using a smart MD equipped withsoftware effective for accomplishing this request.

Requesters and transporters may have MDs effective for automaticallydetermining the MDs' geographical location, these locations beingperiodically communicated by means of a communications network to acomputer system (CS) and disseminated to both requesters and alltransporters (units capable of servicing the request), whereby theirmovements may be tracked. Potential transporters receive the request andthe location of the requester on their mobile devices in real-time(typically within a few minutes), and at least one transporter performsthe request either under direction from a dispatch center or thetransporter independently decides to confirm and perform the request.The computer system receiving the messages from the transporters andrequesters through the CS, including request information, confirmationby the potential transporter, and locations of the MDs, may store thisinformation and track the locations of the requesters and transporters.The computer system may acknowledge the confirmation from a firsttransporter of a request, by sending an acknowledgement message to boththe first confirming transporter and the requester, and sendingrejection messages to all other transporters (if any) who subsequentlysent confirmations for the same request. Other grounds for choosing atransporter may be envisioned. For example, as will be describedhereinbelow, a dispatcher may make this selection. Multiple requests fortransportation by a single requester may be rejected by the computer.

In another embodiment of the present invention where transporters arenot specifically requested, but rather provide services on apredetermined schedule and route, the at least one transporter MDperiodically sends location information to the computer system, butneither receives nor confirms requests. The computer and wirelessnetwork system disseminates transporter location information torequester MDs which request transporter location information.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Similar or identical structure is identified using identicalreference characters. Turning now to the FIGURES, FIG. 1 is a schematicrepresentation of one embodiment of apparatus, 100, effective forcarrying out the steps of embodiments of the method for requestingtransportation hereof. Requester MD, 102, may be a wireless mobilehardware device having software capable of communicating information toother mobile devices or computer system (CS), 104, and capable ofdetermining the location of that device. An example of a mobile deviceis a hand-held programmable cell phone, such as an Apple® iPhone™ or aBlackBerry® Storm™, having geographical position location capability(through the cell system itself (signal triangulation), GPS, or bylocation specification from the user) and capability to connect to aprivate computer network or a public network such as the Internetthrough network, 106. In particular, requests may either be sent totransportation provider (transporter) MDs, 108 a or 108 b, or CS 104.Requester MD 102 may be tracked in the system by a unique identifierassociated with MD 102.

Transporter MDs 108 a and 108 b may be wireless mobile hardware deviceshaving location determination capability and software for enabling thedevice to communicate information with other mobile devices and with CS104 through wireless network 106, whereby requests for transportationmay be received. Such requests may be textually listed and/or displayedon a geographical map, and CS 104 and/or the requester MD 102 may becontacted confirming for CS 104 or requester MD 102 that thetransportation provider will service the request (confirmation ofrequest). An example of this device may also be a hand-held,programmable cell phone having geographical position locationcapability, and the capability to connect to a private computer networkor a public network such as the Internet through wireless network 106,whereby messages may be transmitted to other MDs or a CS. TransporterMDs may be tracked by system 100 using a unique identifier associatedwith that MD.

It should be mentioned that requester MD 102 and transporter MDs 108 aand 108 b, may have map or textual display capabilities.

Network 106 may be a communications network effective forinterconnecting computers and permits transfer of data between computerswhich may be a combination of land-based and wireless connections. Thenetwork may be a private network whose nodes are effective for carryingout the steps of embodiments of the method of the present invention, oran existing public network such as the Internet. Computer System (CS)104 may be a computer system (hardware and software) for receiving andstoring all requests, receiving and storing all transportation providerlocations/activities, and having the capability of routing informationto requester MDs, transportation provider MDs or a system fordispatching transportation services. Computer system 104 may be acomputer node of a private computer network or a public network such asthe Internet, may include multiple computers connected by an internalnetwork, separate from network 106, or include transportation providerMDs connected using a private or public network.

In operation, requester MD 102 may send a request and its location tocomputer system 104 through network 106, CS 104 receiving the requestand all locations of transportation provider MDs 108 a and 108 b.Computer System 104 may forward the request to all transportationprovider MDs, where one of the transportation providers decides toservice the request. The request status is then updated in CS 104, andMDs 108 a and 108 b may be notified of the change in status.

A dispatch system may be connected to network 106 (not shown in FIG. 1hereof), including an additional computer, software, and storage, forreceiving requests, cancellations, and location information fromtransportation providers and requesters. In addition, the dispatchsystem may receive requests, cancellations, and location informationinput by operators receiving requests from sources including telephonecall-ins. The dispatch system upon receipt of such request, and uponaction by an operator, may transmit a confirmation message to therequester and to a transporter with the purpose of directing thattransporter to perform the request. A plurality of dispatch componentsmay be connected to network 106.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a typical request fortransportation services using the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 hereofin the absence of a dispatcher. A request, 200, from a requester MD,which may be a cell phone, is communicated to the known network addressof a computer system (CS). As an example, the CS address may be the URLof a website and the CS and MDs communicate over the Internet with IPaddresses. Requests may contain information giving the geographicallocation and a unique MD identification which may be the MD phonenumber. The request may contain additional information such as thedestination location of the transportation request, the method ofpayment, and specific characteristics of what is to be transported.Characteristics may also include the number of individuals to betransported, the size and weight of packages to be delivered, a futuretime for the service to be performed and/or the type of material to betransported. The identification and location may be communicatedperiodically.

Transporter identification and location is communicated, 202, to theknown network address of computer system (CS). The identification andlocation may be communicated periodically.

The CS stores, 204, the request, requester location and transporterlocation. The CS storage may contain all requests, requester locationsand transporter locations.

The CS forwards, 206, the request and the requester's location to thetransporter MDs, and the transporter locations to the requester's MD.

The transporter decides to service the request and sends, 208,confirmation of this to the CS. This confirmation identifies the requestwith the unique MD identification of the requester.

The CS sends, 210, a positive acknowledgement of the transporterconfirmation to the transporter MD and a confirmation to the requesterif the transporter confirmation is the first confirmation received;otherwise, a negative acknowledgement is sent to the transporter MD.That is, any confirmations for the same request arriving after the firstconfirmation are rejected.

The transporter MD receives, 212, acknowledgement and commences service.The requester MD receives, 214, confirmation that includes thetransporter's identification. At this point, the transporter hasreceived the requester's telephone number and the requester has receivedthe transporter's telephone number which permits voice communicationbetween the two.

In the situation where no transporter is available or no transporterconfirms within a chosen time limit, the requester is notified that therequest has timed out.

Additional embodiments of the present invention may include, but are notlimited to, the following:

-   -   (a) Company Dispatch: a request may be transmitted to a CS using        its IP address on the Internet; CS software stores the requests,        stores all transporters, and sends the request to a dispatch        system which dispatches a transporter to the requester based on        operation efficiency (transporter availability, transporter        type, company policies, and distance/time of the transporter        from the requester), as an example.    -   (b) Unilateral Service Decision: a request is sent to a CS using        its IP address which forwards the request to other mobile        devices held by transporters; software on the transporter's MD        may display multiple requests on a geographical map so that the        transporter can chose a request to satisfy without being        instructed by any dispatch component.    -   (c) Distributed CS: a request is sent to an IP address which is        timeshared by the active transporter mobile devices; this        embodiment replaces the CS with a distributed network of        transporter MDs that accomplish the functions of the CS, the        mobile devices themselves carrying the addresses of the other        MDs in their network and communicating and synchronizing to        complete the required CS tasks in a distributed manner; and    -   (d) Public Transportation on Scheduled Routes: here the        transporter is a vehicle traveling along a predetermined        scheduled route (examples include subway trains, light rail        trains, commuter trains, ferries, trucks, and buses). The        transporter's MD may periodically send location data to the CS,        the data including the location of the vehicle, a unique        identifier of the MD and a time stamp. The real-time route        location is disseminated by the CS to user mobile devices who        wish to observe the transporter locations.

Message protocols may include message types, formats and rules that aredecoded and acted upon by software supporting the computer system and bysoftware supporting the MDs. Each message is identified with a uniqueidentifier and time stamp. For example, if the MDs are cell phones, theunique identifier is the cell phone number. Sample messages types andactions are illustrated in the TABLE.

TABLE Initial The requester and/or transporter signals initialcommunication with computer network. Request The requester sends servicerequest, whereby the request and location information are stored in thecomputer network; the requester is prevented from sending anotherrequest message. Confirm The transporter sends confirmation and locationinformation for a particular request, whereby the confirmation is storedin the computer; the transporter receive a response to this messagecontaining a positive or negative acknowledgement status, wherebypositive acknowledgement is sent only if the transporter is first toconfirm, there is no prior dispatch message, and there is no priorrequester Cancel; the transporter is prevented from sending anotherconfirm message; upon receipt of positive acknowledgment, the sending ofa pickup message is enabled. Pickup The transporter signals that pickuphas occurred and service has begun; enables sending of dropoff message.Dropoff The transporter signals that dropoff has occurred and servicehas been completed, wherein the service fare is communicated and wherebythe transporter confirm message is erased; this enables a cash or creditinformation message to be sent. Cash The requester signals payment bycash which enables the sending of a requester stop message. Credit Therequester signals payment by credit card; a information messagecontaining credit card information is sent which effects a credit cardauthorization to a merchant bank that will be returned in a subsequentrequester and transporter heartbeat message. Requester The requestersignals cancellation of the previously sent Cancel request; a stopmessage is automatically sent. Transporter The transporter signalscancellation of the previously Cancel sent confirmation message. StopThe requester/transporter signals the end of the communication withnetwork, whereby any request and location information is erased fromstorage. Requester Message periodically sent by requester MD withHeartbeat information including requester's most recent location,whereby the location is stored in the computer; the requester receivesresponses to this message type containing information including locationof transporters, the identity of the transporter acknowledged to servicerequest, service fare, and credit card authorization status. TransporterMessage periodically sent by transporter MD with Heartbeat informationincluding the most recent location, whereby the location is stored inthe computer; the transporter receives a response to this message typecontaining information including location of requesters, payment type ofcash or payment type of credit card, and authorization status.Dispatcher Get Message periodically sent by the dispatcher; theInformation dispatcher receives a response to this message type(optional) containing information including location of requesters andtransporters. Dispatcher The dispatcher sends a service request from aRequest requester who placed the request from a telephone, (optional)whereby the request and location information is stored in the computernetwork. Dispatch The dispatcher signals that the transporter is to pickup (optional) the requester, wherein the requester and the transporterare identified; the dispatcher is prevented from sending anotherdispatch message identifying the same requester or transporter; thedispatcher receives a response to this message type containing apositive or negative acknowledgement, whereby a positive acknowledgementis sent only if there are no other prior dispatch messages identifyingthe same requester or transporter, there are no confirm messages of theidentified requester's request, and there are no confirm messages fromthe same transporter.

Having generally described embodiments of the present invention, thefollowing EXAMPLES provide additional details thereof.

EXAMPLE 1

FIG. 3 illustrates an application of the present invention to requestingtransportation services from a taxicab, without the services of adispatcher. Requester 300, located on 55^(th) Street, wishes to acquirethe services of a taxi, although no taxicab is visible to requester 300.The MDs of taxis 302 and 304 automatically and periodically wirelesslycommunicate their location information to CS 104 through network 106.The request for transportation services from requester 300 is achievedby the requester pushing a button on his or her programmable cell phone,and in step 306, the “hail a taxi” request is sent to computer system CS104 which is receiving and tracking all active taxi locations. In steps308 a and 308 b, the request is simultaneously forwarded to taxis 302and 304, respectively. It should be mentioned, that all taxis in acounty, city or borough, depending on the geographical size of theseadministrative entities, might receive the request. In step 310, taxi302 decides to pick up requester 300 and sends a confirming signal to CS104. In step 312, CS 104 confirms to requester 300 that a taxi is on theway. Computer system 104 also communicates the confirmation to taxi 304in step 314. As stated hereinabove, multiple requests from requester 300would be rejected by CS 104. Additionally, location information for taxi302 may be provided to requester 300.

FIG. 4 illustrates an application of the present invention to a travelerinterested in using a city bus system. In this application, city buses,400, 402, 404, and 406 periodically transmit their geographic locationsusing MDs thereon to a computer 104 through wireless network 106.Computer 104 analyzes the time-varying geographic location data, matchesthe locations with bus schedules, and computes times-of-arrival andother route information. This information may be transmitted to traveler408 where it is displayed on his or her cell phone in real time.

The foregoing description of the invention has been presented forpurposes of illustration and description and is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, andobviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of theabove teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order tobest explain the principles of the invention and its practicalapplication to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilizethe invention in various embodiments and with various modifications asare suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that thescope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.

1. A method for requesting transportation services, comprising:providing a wireless communications network for routing messages;providing a computer for processing information in cooperation with thewireless communications network; sending a request for transportationservices to the computer through the communications network using afirst communications device having a fixed geographic location; sendingthe geographic location of the first communications device to thecomputer through the wireless communications network; storing therequest and the determined location on the computer; transmitting thestored location of the first communications device to at least onetransportation provider having a wireless mobile communications devicethrough the wireless communications network; generating a firstconfirmation signal on the wireless communications network from the atleast one transportation provider; selecting one transportation providerfrom the at least one transportation provider using the computer on thebasis of at least one chosen criterion; and generating a secondconfirmation signal from the computer to the transportation requesterusing the wireless communications network notifying the transportationrequester that transportation service has been arranged.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein said step of selecting one transportation providerfrom the at least one transportation provider is performed using theearliest confirmation signal received from the at least onetransportation provider.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step ofselecting one transportation provider from the at least onetransportation provider is performed by a dispatcher.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising the step of notifying the requester oftransportation services of the time-of-arrival of the selectedtransportation provider.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein thetransportation service comprises transportation of at least oneindividual.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transportation servicecomprises transportation of at least one package.
 7. The method of claim5, wherein the transportation of at least one individual is performedusing a taxi or limousine.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein thetransportation of at least one package is performed using a truck. 9.(canceled)
 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps ofobtaining the identity of the requester of transportation; and storingthe identity of the requester on the computer.
 11. The method of claim10, wherein the identity of the requester has not previously beensubmitted to the computer.
 12. The method of claim 1, further comprisingthe step of notifying all transportation providers from the at least onetransportation provider that a transportation provider has beenselected.
 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step ofpermitting the requester of transportation services to track theselected transportation provider on a map or textual display disposed onthe first communications device.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein thegeographic location of the first communications device is selected fromthe group chosen from global positioning, signal triangulation andverbal description.
 15. (canceled)
 16. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising the step of storing the telephone number of the wirelesscommunications device of the selected transportation provider on thefirst communications device, whereby the requester of transportationservices can identify the selected transportation provider subsequent tothe performance of the transportation services. 17-20. (canceled)